NYC Nights 5

Transition - a valid description of what transpired, photographically speaking, as 2016 gave way to 2017. After nearly 8 months of redeveloping imaging muscles, I was beginning to grasp the possibilities of how scenes could be captured with the Pentax K-1 system. RAW files generated were potent, full of incredibly literal bits of information which unleashed fascinating results. Realizing not just my shooting philosophy but post production workflow would both have to evolve to continuing ascending the creative ladder.


A monstrous piece of the imaging equation was comfort shooting 1 (sometimes up to 2) stops down, underexposing a scene intentionally. This technique isn’t something new by any stretch of the imagination; it even predates digital cameras and was born during the era of film. The purpose of such thinking is capturing details in the highlights (or brightest points) of the scene, letting the shadows (or darkest points) go even darker. Post production imaging software (Adobe Photoshop, Capture One, Affinity Photo, etc) are more receptive to such workflows. Detail can be brought out from the shadows, not from highlights, hence shooting 1 to 2 stops down.


So with the aforementioned in mind, I conducted a variety of shoots throughout the year, tweaking and nurturing the images captured. It’s liberating conceptualizing and implementing a workflow which allows you to focus more so on what is being photographed and having the technical on autopilot. Perspective and composition, elements composing the scene available to experiment with, knowing in post production it’ll all come together exposure wise. Revisiting locations multiple times (such as Manhattan’s Financial District) was invaluable, gaining insight and comfort when presented with imaging challenges.


Had a lot of fun roaming about the city during 2017. Bridge walks, new places to see, discovering unique unforeseen elements from locations traversed beforehand, a lot to digest. For a year about transition, a lot of quality was captured.


Chapters


1 ze Roof

2 Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

3 Manhattan Bridge

4 Brooklyn Bridge Park

5 Top of the Rock

6 Bridge Walk - Manhattan

7 Bushwick Collective

8 Chinatown & Little Italy

9 Times Square

10 Bridge Walk - Williamsburg

11 Financial District

12 Bridge Walk - Brooklyn

13 East Williamsburg

14 Tribute in Light

15 High Line

16 Tribeca & WTC Site

17 Panoramas



Presenting NYC Nights, Volume 5


All images were taken during the year 2017